School vouchers has been a difficult issue for me. I am not a big fan of most ideas from Milton Friedman (who first proposed school choice back in the 50's) or most of the politicians who have promoted vouchers. Furthermore, I generally support public education and labor unions. I have always voted to fund public education at every opportunity. At the same time, I also recognize that education has traditionally been a public-private partnership with a significant number of our students educated in private or church-related schools.
Education does not seem to work well with one size fits all solutions. It seems unlikely that the public school system is going out of existence nor should that happen. In some districts, the public schools are doing a great job and there are some troubled public schools where it is difficult for a child to get a decent education. The notion that poor children ought to have the opportunity for private education where there are failing schools seems to be a very populist concept.
Democrats often strongly oppose experimenting with vouchers. Joe Lieberman dared to suggest that maybe school vouchers are not such an bad idea - one of a few issues that has haunted him in the Democratic primary. Like many issues, what cause problems with Democratic primary voters can be a strength in the general election. Teacher unions and secularists - both opponents of vouchers have a strong influence within the Democratic Party.
Educational choice is an important issue for values voters and Democrats might have more appeal to that constituency with a less hostile attitude toward vouchers. Our party should support public education but reconsider the knee jerk opposition to school vouchers. If approached the right way, a little competition between public and private educators can help improve all of our schools and the quality of education.
* SINATRA: AN INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN MUSIC AND POLITICS
Among my other interests outside of politics is music. I am especially into older musical styles - R & B, classic country, early (pre-Beatles) rock and roll, gospel, jazz and especially pop standards. One of my favorite singers is the "Chairman of the Board" Frank Sinatra. Eight years after his death, Sinatra continues to gain new fans around the world.
While his popularity was greatest with the WWII Generation, Sinatra had appeal to a wide range of age groups. In fact, Sinatra had top 40 hits ranging from "I'll Never Smile Again" in 1941 to "New York,New York" in 1980. Some of Sinatra's greatest recordings were never chart hits such as "Lady Day" - a moving song about the troubled and all too brief life of blues singer Billie Holiday - which appeared on the 1969 "Sinatra & Company' album.
There was also a political side and social activist side to Frank Sinatra. In the late 40's, Sinatra appeared in a 10 minute film short called "The House I Live In" (also a hit song) which appealed for racial and religious tolerance in America. Sinatra was always an outspoken critic of racial segregation.
As a John Kennedy supporter during the 1960 campaign, Sinatra recorded a version of "High Hopes" that promoted the JFK candidacy. The song was featured on Kennedy TV advertising and also blared from campaign soundtrucks in major cities. http://tinyurl.com/r6ddq
Like many Catholic ethnic Democrats, Sinatra became disillusioned with the Democratic Party following the McGovernite takeover. Sinatra later supported Ronald Reagan for President appearing with Reagan at St. Ann's Catholic Church in his hometown on Hoboken,New Jersey. In supporting Reagan, Sinatra symbolized millions of New Deal Democrats who felt alienated from the party.
Bill Clinton paid tribute to the "Chairman" recognizing the need to win back the "Sinatra Democrats." Some observers have even suggested that George W. Bush has looked to Sinatra for inspiration in his developing his misguided foreign policy "I Did It My Way."
I am a Baby Boomer and became familar with the wide range of Sinatra's recordings in part by listening to a weekly syndicated radio program called Sounds of Sinatra which is still on the air in a number of markets. Sounds of Sinatra has a website at www.soundsofsinatra.com with links to radio stations that stream the program on the internet.
There was certainly a dark side to the "Chairman" but in my opinion, Sinatra was among male vocalists the greatest interpreter of the American popular song. Mel Torme was also a great singer but was more the leader in the jazz realm. Given the present state of American popular music (and I think we are really more in a post-musical era in terms of pop music), the odds of another Sinatra coming along are quite slim.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
A victory for Second Amendment rights
The Second Amendment Foundation has issued a press release about a U.S. Senate vote on Thursday affirming gun rights during emergencies and major disasters. I agree with Alan Gottlieb, spokesman for the group, that this vote represents a strong shift in the pro-gun rights direction.
A change in political climate toward defending the right to keep and bear arms was evidenced by a majority of Senate Democrats voting for the Vitter Amendment (Senate amendment 4615) which was co-sponsored by Robert Byrd D-WV.
The Vitter amendment passed by a 84 to 16 vote. All sixteen Senators voting no were Democrats which suggests that those of us who support gun rights within the Democratic Party still have some work to do. Among the Senators voting against gun rights, all but three were from the Northeast or California.
Passage of Vitter Amendment Shows Public Shift on Gun Rights After Katrina
7/14/2006 4:42:00 PM
To: National Desk
Contact: Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation, 425-454-7012
BELLEVUE, Wash., July 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Senate's overwhelming 84 to 16 vote this week to prohibit gun confiscations from private citizens in emergencies shows there has been a remarkable shift in the public's attitude about gun rights after the Hurricane Katrina debacle, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said today.
"For many in the Senate, like Republicans Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island, and Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington," observed SAF Founder Alan Gottlieb, "it was the first time they've voted to support the individual rights of law-abiding gun owners. They saw the looting and lawlessness, and watched the outrage of post-Katrina gun confiscations, and so did their constituents.
"Incredibly," he continued, "sixteen extremist anti-gun Democrats, led by Hillary Clinton, demonstrated by their vote that they think it's just swell for the government to seize private property from law-abiding citizens, often times at gunpoint and always without warrant or due process of law. This time, it's guns but what about next time? If it is okay with these senators for police to take legally-owned firearms without probable cause, what would they advocate next for confiscation?"
SAF successfully sued the City of New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish last September to force a halt to those illegal gun seizures. The National Rifle Association joined in that lawsuit.
"For people of such divergent political views as Joe Biden, Robert Byrd, Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, Patrick Leahy, Chuck Hagel, Orrin Hatch, Wayne Allard, Max Baucus and 75 of their colleagues, this vote was a no-brainer," Gottlieb observed. "What a pity that Sen. Clinton's group remains so myopic about firearm civil rights that they vote to essentially support the warrantless seizure of private property.
"We hope the House concurs with this vote," Gottlieb concluded, "so that never again, on American soil, will we witness a police state mentality that would sooner disarm people and leave them defenseless when they should be offered assistance and medical aid if necessary. Being secure from warrantless search and seizure is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, even if some people in New Orleans, and a handful on Capitol Hill, seem willing to ignore that."
The Second Amendment Foundation ( http://www.saf.org ) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
Pro-gun Democrats must continue to push our party in the direction of supporting our Second Amendment rights. Groups like Amendment II Democrats http://www.a2dems.net are getting out the word that many of us in the Democratic Party do favor the right to keep and bear arms. Gun control doesn't work and it bad politics too.
* HELP 57 MILLION WORKERS GAIN A UNION
The following action alert was sent by the Working Families e-Activist Network
http://unionvoice.org
Today, 57 million workers in America want to join unions. But employers routinely block their efforts—and our laws are too weak to protect them. It's time for Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act, which would allow workers to make their own uncoerced decisions on whether or not to form a union. Please sign the following petition urging members of Congress to support this important legislation.
Subject:Co-Sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1696 and S. 842)
Dear Representative or Senator:
We, the undersigned, urge Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1696 and S. 842) now. Workers need the Employee Free Choice Act because workers need unions. Union workers typically earn 28 percent more than nonunion workers to support their families and contribute to their communities.
Union members are much more likely than nonunion workers to have vital benefits such as health care coverage, disability insurance and retirement security. And no one can put a price tag on the pride of having a union voice at work.
Some 57 million workers would join a union if they could. But, as Human Rights Watch has documented, employers routinely harass, coerce, intimidate and stall to block workers' freedom to choose union representation. In fact, every 23 minutes a worker is fired or penalized for supporting a union.
We urge our elected representatives and senators to recognize the urgent need to restore workers' freedom to form unions and support the Employee Free Choice Act so workers once again can have the basic right to choose for themselves whether to belong to a union.
Sincerely,[Your name][Your address]
A change in political climate toward defending the right to keep and bear arms was evidenced by a majority of Senate Democrats voting for the Vitter Amendment (Senate amendment 4615) which was co-sponsored by Robert Byrd D-WV.
The Vitter amendment passed by a 84 to 16 vote. All sixteen Senators voting no were Democrats which suggests that those of us who support gun rights within the Democratic Party still have some work to do. Among the Senators voting against gun rights, all but three were from the Northeast or California.
Passage of Vitter Amendment Shows Public Shift on Gun Rights After Katrina
7/14/2006 4:42:00 PM
To: National Desk
Contact: Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation, 425-454-7012
BELLEVUE, Wash., July 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Senate's overwhelming 84 to 16 vote this week to prohibit gun confiscations from private citizens in emergencies shows there has been a remarkable shift in the public's attitude about gun rights after the Hurricane Katrina debacle, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said today.
"For many in the Senate, like Republicans Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island, and Democrats Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington," observed SAF Founder Alan Gottlieb, "it was the first time they've voted to support the individual rights of law-abiding gun owners. They saw the looting and lawlessness, and watched the outrage of post-Katrina gun confiscations, and so did their constituents.
"Incredibly," he continued, "sixteen extremist anti-gun Democrats, led by Hillary Clinton, demonstrated by their vote that they think it's just swell for the government to seize private property from law-abiding citizens, often times at gunpoint and always without warrant or due process of law. This time, it's guns but what about next time? If it is okay with these senators for police to take legally-owned firearms without probable cause, what would they advocate next for confiscation?"
SAF successfully sued the City of New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish last September to force a halt to those illegal gun seizures. The National Rifle Association joined in that lawsuit.
"For people of such divergent political views as Joe Biden, Robert Byrd, Blanche Lincoln, Joe Lieberman, Patrick Leahy, Chuck Hagel, Orrin Hatch, Wayne Allard, Max Baucus and 75 of their colleagues, this vote was a no-brainer," Gottlieb observed. "What a pity that Sen. Clinton's group remains so myopic about firearm civil rights that they vote to essentially support the warrantless seizure of private property.
"We hope the House concurs with this vote," Gottlieb concluded, "so that never again, on American soil, will we witness a police state mentality that would sooner disarm people and leave them defenseless when they should be offered assistance and medical aid if necessary. Being secure from warrantless search and seizure is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, even if some people in New Orleans, and a handful on Capitol Hill, seem willing to ignore that."
The Second Amendment Foundation ( http://www.saf.org ) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
Pro-gun Democrats must continue to push our party in the direction of supporting our Second Amendment rights. Groups like Amendment II Democrats http://www.a2dems.net are getting out the word that many of us in the Democratic Party do favor the right to keep and bear arms. Gun control doesn't work and it bad politics too.
* HELP 57 MILLION WORKERS GAIN A UNION
The following action alert was sent by the Working Families e-Activist Network
http://unionvoice.org
Today, 57 million workers in America want to join unions. But employers routinely block their efforts—and our laws are too weak to protect them. It's time for Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act, which would allow workers to make their own uncoerced decisions on whether or not to form a union. Please sign the following petition urging members of Congress to support this important legislation.
Subject:Co-Sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1696 and S. 842)
Dear Representative or Senator:
We, the undersigned, urge Congress to support the Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 1696 and S. 842) now. Workers need the Employee Free Choice Act because workers need unions. Union workers typically earn 28 percent more than nonunion workers to support their families and contribute to their communities.
Union members are much more likely than nonunion workers to have vital benefits such as health care coverage, disability insurance and retirement security. And no one can put a price tag on the pride of having a union voice at work.
Some 57 million workers would join a union if they could. But, as Human Rights Watch has documented, employers routinely harass, coerce, intimidate and stall to block workers' freedom to choose union representation. In fact, every 23 minutes a worker is fired or penalized for supporting a union.
We urge our elected representatives and senators to recognize the urgent need to restore workers' freedom to form unions and support the Employee Free Choice Act so workers once again can have the basic right to choose for themselves whether to belong to a union.
Sincerely,[Your name][Your address]
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Ben Nelson: a consistent voice for life
The Democrats for Life of America (DFLA) announced their endorsement of Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson’s bid for re-election. The organization cited Nelson’s consistent support for pro-life issues in making the endorsement.
“Washington needs more leaders like Senator Nelson. Ben Nelson has been with the pro-life community every step of the way and we know we can always count on him to stand up for the unborn,” said Kristen Day, Executive Director of DFLA. “Senator Nelson has been a strong supporter of the issues important to our membership and we are proud to support his re-election campaign. Keeping Ben Nelson in the Senate will ensure that Nebraskans and all Americans have a strong voice advocating for the pro-life position.”
“I am very proud to accept this endorsement. I have always been committed to protecting unborn children and I’ve worked closely with DFLA to accomplish this goal,” said Nelson. “I look forward to continuing to work with them after November and into the future.”
In its endorsement of Nelson, the DFLA cited his strong support for the right to life. From his first day in public life, he has worked to reduce the number of abortions. As Governor and now as Senator, Nelson is a strong supporter of the partial birth abortion ban. He will continue to work to prevent taxpayer funding of abortions and supports stronger restrictions on abortion.
In 2003, Ben Nelson received the 2003 Legislative Award from Democrats for Life [Lincoln Southern NE Register, 7/11/2003] and he currently sits on the organization’s federal advisory board.
http://democratsforlife.org
* SAME SEX MARRIAGE ISSUE DIVIDES DEMOCRATS
Errol Lewis made a good point in yesterday's New York Daily News about the gay marriage controversy as a potential stumbling block for Democrats. Gay marriage is likely to be a major issue in the New York and California Governor's races as the Democratic nomineees Eliot Spitzer and Phil Angelides support same sex unions. It is certainly naive to believe this issue will not become a significant factor in other elections this fall and impact the 2008 Presidential contest. See link to full column http://tinyurl.com/o52k6
"Gay and lesbian political groups should think carefully before making their next move following yesterday's state Court of Appeals decision to outlaw same-sex marriages in New York."
"It's tempting - but politically counterproductive - to condemn the court's logic, condemn all opponents of gay marriage as bigots and Neanderthals and rally around the dissent by Chief Judge Judith Kaye and its ringing, history-will-absolve-me closing lines: 'I am confident that future generations will look back on today's decision as an unfortunate misstep.'"
"There's a time to invoke future generations, and a time to focus on the politics of the moment. Right now, if gay activists continue to push for gay marriage as the all-important political litmus test for candidates in New York and elsewhere, they run the risk of helping to weaken and splinter the Democratic Party just as it stands within striking distance of winning a majority in Congress this year, and just as the party begins ramping up for the 2008 presidential elections."
"As pollsters, pundits and politicians have known for years, several key Democratic constituencies - gays, union households and black voters - have been clinging together in an increasingly unstable political coalition for the past two decades. Few issues disrupt this already-shaky alliance more thoroughly than gay marriage - and Republicans have built a string of political victories on exploiting these tensions."
"Black voters, for example, who vote in huge numbers for Democrats, get uneasy on the issue of gay marriage. Polls taken over the past decade consistently show that about 63% of black voters remain opposed to gay marriage - a position that stems from the theology of many black church denominations."
"That doesn't mean black voters are jumping party lines to vote Republican. But it does mean that introducing gay marriage into a campaign can create a trickle of black ministers and their congregations to the GOP."
"The same is true of working-class union households, many of them Catholic, who normally vote Democratic but draw the line at gay marriage."
"In a close election, shifting a few votes over the party line can make all the difference: The most recent presidential election was decided by only 118,601 votes in a single state, Ohio."
"Nineteen states have already passed constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage - 11 of them in 2004. Such amendments have never failed to pass when placed on the ballot."
"Six more states will hold votes on the issue this fall - a foolproof way to fire up the Republican base and drive a wedge between core Democratic voters."
I couldn't agree more. We are looking at a very emotional issue that may have as much impact on American politics as abortion or gun control.
* DICK CHENEY BETS AGAINST U.S. ECONOMY
Counterpunch http://counterpunch.com/ posted an excellent column on July 5 by Mike Whitney on how Dick Cheney is betting against the American economy. The Cheney investment strategy certainly helps to explain why how our leaders are so indifferent to the prospects of a U.S. financial collapse.
"Wouldn't you like to know where Dick Cheney puts his money? Then you'd know whether his "deficits don't matter" claim is just baloney or not."
"Well, as it turns out, Kiplinger Magazine ran an article based on Cheney's financial disclosure statement and, sure enough, found out that the VP is lying to the American people for the umpteenth time. Deficits do matter and Cheney has invested his money accordingly."
"The article is called "Cheney's betting on bad news" and provides an account of where Cheney has socked away more than $25 million. While the figures may be estimates, the investments are not. According to Tom Blackburn of the Palm Beach Post, Cheney has invested heavily in "a fund that specializes in short-term municipal bonds, a tax-exempt money market fund and an inflation protected securities fund. The first two hold up if interest rates rise with inflation. The third is protected against inflation."
"Cheney has dumped another (estimated) $10 to $25 million in a European bond fund which tells us that he is counting on a steadily weakening dollar. So, while working class Americans are loosing ground to inflation and rising energy costs, Darth Cheney will be enhancing his wealth in "Old Europe". As Blackburn sagely notes, 'Not all bad news' is bad for everybody."
"This should put to rest once and for all the foolish notion that the 'Bush Economic Plan' is anything more than a scam aimed at looting the public till. The whole deal is intended to shift the nation's wealth from one class to another. It's also clear that Bush-Cheney couldn't have carried this off without the tacit approval of the thieves at the Federal Reserve who engineered the low-interest rate boondoggle to put the American people to sleep while they picked their pockets."
"Reasonable people can dispute that Bush is 'intentionally' skewering the dollar with his lavish tax cuts, but how does that explain Cheney's portfolio?"
"It doesn't. And, one thing we can say with metaphysical certainty is that the miserly Cheney would never plunk his money into an investment that wasn't a sure thing. If Cheney is counting on the dollar tanking and interest rates going up, then, by Gawd, that's what'll happen."
"The Bush-Cheney team has racked up another $3 trillion in debt in just 6 years. The US national debt now stands at $8.4 trillion dollars while the trade deficit has ballooned to $800 billion nearly 7% of GDP."
"This is lunacy. No country, however powerful, can maintain these staggering numbers. The country is in hock up to its neck and has to borrow $2.5 billion per day just to stay above water. Presently, the Fed is expanding the money supply and buying back its own treasuries to hide the hemorrhaging from the public. Its utter madness."
"Last month the trade deficit climbed to $70 billion. More importantly, foreign central banks only purchased a meager $47 billion in treasuries to shore up our ravenous appetite for cheap junk from China."
"Do the math! They're not investing in America anymore. They are decreasing their stockpiles of dollars. We're sinking fast and Cheney and his pals are manning the lifeboats while the public is diverted with gay marriage amendments and 'American Celebrity'."
"The American manufacturing sector has been hollowed out by cutthroat corporations who've abandoned their country to make a fast-buck in China or Mexico. The $3 trillion housing (equity) bubble is quickly loosing air while the anemic dollar continues to sag. All the signs indicate that the economy is slowing at the same time that energy prices continue to rise."
"This is the onset of stagflation; the dreaded combo of a slowing economy and inflation."
"Did Americans really think they'd be spared the same type of economic colonization that has been applied throughout the developing world under the rubric of 'neoliberalism'?"
"Well, think again. The American economy is barrel-rolling towards earth and there are only enough parashutes for Cheney and his gang."
“Washington needs more leaders like Senator Nelson. Ben Nelson has been with the pro-life community every step of the way and we know we can always count on him to stand up for the unborn,” said Kristen Day, Executive Director of DFLA. “Senator Nelson has been a strong supporter of the issues important to our membership and we are proud to support his re-election campaign. Keeping Ben Nelson in the Senate will ensure that Nebraskans and all Americans have a strong voice advocating for the pro-life position.”
“I am very proud to accept this endorsement. I have always been committed to protecting unborn children and I’ve worked closely with DFLA to accomplish this goal,” said Nelson. “I look forward to continuing to work with them after November and into the future.”
In its endorsement of Nelson, the DFLA cited his strong support for the right to life. From his first day in public life, he has worked to reduce the number of abortions. As Governor and now as Senator, Nelson is a strong supporter of the partial birth abortion ban. He will continue to work to prevent taxpayer funding of abortions and supports stronger restrictions on abortion.
In 2003, Ben Nelson received the 2003 Legislative Award from Democrats for Life [Lincoln Southern NE Register, 7/11/2003] and he currently sits on the organization’s federal advisory board.
http://democratsforlife.org
* SAME SEX MARRIAGE ISSUE DIVIDES DEMOCRATS
Errol Lewis made a good point in yesterday's New York Daily News about the gay marriage controversy as a potential stumbling block for Democrats. Gay marriage is likely to be a major issue in the New York and California Governor's races as the Democratic nomineees Eliot Spitzer and Phil Angelides support same sex unions. It is certainly naive to believe this issue will not become a significant factor in other elections this fall and impact the 2008 Presidential contest. See link to full column http://tinyurl.com/o52k6
"Gay and lesbian political groups should think carefully before making their next move following yesterday's state Court of Appeals decision to outlaw same-sex marriages in New York."
"It's tempting - but politically counterproductive - to condemn the court's logic, condemn all opponents of gay marriage as bigots and Neanderthals and rally around the dissent by Chief Judge Judith Kaye and its ringing, history-will-absolve-me closing lines: 'I am confident that future generations will look back on today's decision as an unfortunate misstep.'"
"There's a time to invoke future generations, and a time to focus on the politics of the moment. Right now, if gay activists continue to push for gay marriage as the all-important political litmus test for candidates in New York and elsewhere, they run the risk of helping to weaken and splinter the Democratic Party just as it stands within striking distance of winning a majority in Congress this year, and just as the party begins ramping up for the 2008 presidential elections."
"As pollsters, pundits and politicians have known for years, several key Democratic constituencies - gays, union households and black voters - have been clinging together in an increasingly unstable political coalition for the past two decades. Few issues disrupt this already-shaky alliance more thoroughly than gay marriage - and Republicans have built a string of political victories on exploiting these tensions."
"Black voters, for example, who vote in huge numbers for Democrats, get uneasy on the issue of gay marriage. Polls taken over the past decade consistently show that about 63% of black voters remain opposed to gay marriage - a position that stems from the theology of many black church denominations."
"That doesn't mean black voters are jumping party lines to vote Republican. But it does mean that introducing gay marriage into a campaign can create a trickle of black ministers and their congregations to the GOP."
"The same is true of working-class union households, many of them Catholic, who normally vote Democratic but draw the line at gay marriage."
"In a close election, shifting a few votes over the party line can make all the difference: The most recent presidential election was decided by only 118,601 votes in a single state, Ohio."
"Nineteen states have already passed constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage - 11 of them in 2004. Such amendments have never failed to pass when placed on the ballot."
"Six more states will hold votes on the issue this fall - a foolproof way to fire up the Republican base and drive a wedge between core Democratic voters."
I couldn't agree more. We are looking at a very emotional issue that may have as much impact on American politics as abortion or gun control.
* DICK CHENEY BETS AGAINST U.S. ECONOMY
Counterpunch http://counterpunch.com/ posted an excellent column on July 5 by Mike Whitney on how Dick Cheney is betting against the American economy. The Cheney investment strategy certainly helps to explain why how our leaders are so indifferent to the prospects of a U.S. financial collapse.
"Wouldn't you like to know where Dick Cheney puts his money? Then you'd know whether his "deficits don't matter" claim is just baloney or not."
"Well, as it turns out, Kiplinger Magazine ran an article based on Cheney's financial disclosure statement and, sure enough, found out that the VP is lying to the American people for the umpteenth time. Deficits do matter and Cheney has invested his money accordingly."
"The article is called "Cheney's betting on bad news" and provides an account of where Cheney has socked away more than $25 million. While the figures may be estimates, the investments are not. According to Tom Blackburn of the Palm Beach Post, Cheney has invested heavily in "a fund that specializes in short-term municipal bonds, a tax-exempt money market fund and an inflation protected securities fund. The first two hold up if interest rates rise with inflation. The third is protected against inflation."
"Cheney has dumped another (estimated) $10 to $25 million in a European bond fund which tells us that he is counting on a steadily weakening dollar. So, while working class Americans are loosing ground to inflation and rising energy costs, Darth Cheney will be enhancing his wealth in "Old Europe". As Blackburn sagely notes, 'Not all bad news' is bad for everybody."
"This should put to rest once and for all the foolish notion that the 'Bush Economic Plan' is anything more than a scam aimed at looting the public till. The whole deal is intended to shift the nation's wealth from one class to another. It's also clear that Bush-Cheney couldn't have carried this off without the tacit approval of the thieves at the Federal Reserve who engineered the low-interest rate boondoggle to put the American people to sleep while they picked their pockets."
"Reasonable people can dispute that Bush is 'intentionally' skewering the dollar with his lavish tax cuts, but how does that explain Cheney's portfolio?"
"It doesn't. And, one thing we can say with metaphysical certainty is that the miserly Cheney would never plunk his money into an investment that wasn't a sure thing. If Cheney is counting on the dollar tanking and interest rates going up, then, by Gawd, that's what'll happen."
"The Bush-Cheney team has racked up another $3 trillion in debt in just 6 years. The US national debt now stands at $8.4 trillion dollars while the trade deficit has ballooned to $800 billion nearly 7% of GDP."
"This is lunacy. No country, however powerful, can maintain these staggering numbers. The country is in hock up to its neck and has to borrow $2.5 billion per day just to stay above water. Presently, the Fed is expanding the money supply and buying back its own treasuries to hide the hemorrhaging from the public. Its utter madness."
"Last month the trade deficit climbed to $70 billion. More importantly, foreign central banks only purchased a meager $47 billion in treasuries to shore up our ravenous appetite for cheap junk from China."
"Do the math! They're not investing in America anymore. They are decreasing their stockpiles of dollars. We're sinking fast and Cheney and his pals are manning the lifeboats while the public is diverted with gay marriage amendments and 'American Celebrity'."
"The American manufacturing sector has been hollowed out by cutthroat corporations who've abandoned their country to make a fast-buck in China or Mexico. The $3 trillion housing (equity) bubble is quickly loosing air while the anemic dollar continues to sag. All the signs indicate that the economy is slowing at the same time that energy prices continue to rise."
"This is the onset of stagflation; the dreaded combo of a slowing economy and inflation."
"Did Americans really think they'd be spared the same type of economic colonization that has been applied throughout the developing world under the rubric of 'neoliberalism'?"
"Well, think again. The American economy is barrel-rolling towards earth and there are only enough parashutes for Cheney and his gang."
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